testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it…

John s.

Alex Tanskey is a magician with the human body. He understands the mechanics and dynamics of the body better than any trainer, physical therapist, or sports MD I’ve been to—-and I’ve seen a lot of them, having played varsity tennis at Duke, followed by two major shoulder surgeries years later.

Before I met Alex, I didn’t think I’d be able to play tennis again. My shoulder hurt whenever I worked out and often when I didn’t.

I’ve been training with Alex for two years. He not only knows what exercises I need; he knows my body better than I do.

(And much better than my surgeon did: after my major rotator cuff surgery, my surgeon told me I could never do arm presses again; Alex has me pressing 20kg kettlebells on each arm.)

Before Alex, I didn’t even know what kettlebells were. Now I love them—-even more than tennis, which I still play.

Before Alex, I was afraid of working out, afraid of getting injured again. Now, I look forward to every workout and am in better shape than I’ve been in since college.

Before Alex, it hurt to do more than two pullups; now I can do seventeen (the last few hurt, but in a good way).

And he’s a joy to be around: has a great sense of humor (read his brilliant blog!); is a wonderful listener; and wears his erudition lightly. A master teacher and true friend.

Peter k.

I trained with Jonathan from 2015 to 2018 and had the chance to see him train others in individual and group settings. Jonathan is an excellent coach - he listens to clients, is super knowledgeable, and flexible in coming up with plans that work to meet clients’ goals. He put together a nice mix for me - plyometrics, lifts, kettlebell routines - and kept mixing things up without losing focus.

I give his strength coaching the credit for getting me through three marathons, a couple of Olympic tris, and the wear and tear of everyday life injury-free.

David a.

Training with Alex over the past year changed my life. It's not just that he showed me how to get stronger; he also helped me to relieve stress, to move better, to sleep more soundly, and to think more clearly. In short, he transformed everything about the way I feel in my body on a day-to-day basis. When I started working with him, I had chronic shoulder pain. Now that pain is gone, and I have reached several fitness milestones, including a deadlift of 1.75x my bodyweight.

Every session with Alex was a pleasure. He's intelligent, patient, kind, and funny. He provides detailed explanations of every maneuver, so you're never just "going through the motions," but actively learning the right way to move and to breathe. I am certain that these lessons have enabled me to keep gaining strength––without the risk of injury––while losing weight.

yamil s.

I trained with Jonathan for 6 years, and it was a life changing experience. Initially I was someone that never exercised, and in time he instilled in me a new desire to take better care of myself from how much sleep I got, to what I ate. Looking back he was able to train me to be the strongest I have ever been in my life at age 40. It is fun to think back at how when I first worked with Jonathan I could only do a single pull up. He then implemented a program that included multiple exercises that helped strengthen the necessary muscles for me to be able to do 5 pulls ups over several sets. I am forever grateful for all that he taught me about exercising and the motivation he gave me to be stronger and healthier.

Jesse N

Eirinn has been my trainer for more than five years and she has been an incredible help to me over that time. Like any good trainer, she was eager to understand my goals and has always been willing to work closely with me to help me achieve them. Whether it's been building special routines for me while travelling, tailoring my workouts as I worked through injuries, partnering with my physical therapists, chiropractors and massage therapists or offering recipes to support a healthy diet, Eirinn has done everything I've ever needed to keep me focused and fit. And it doesn't hurt that she's always got a smiling face and a genuine enthusiasm to train me whenever I see her. I am grateful, blessed and thankful to have Eirinn in my life!

Courtney

Jonathan has a state-of-the-art understanding of health and fitness, and is truly a champion for his clients to live their best lives. I trained with Jonathan for 5 years (2013 to 2018), twice a week, which had a significant impact on my physical strength and stamina. Jonathan is very knowledgeable and experienced as a trainer, and regularly brought new concepts and exercises to our training sessions, so it was always interesting and cutting edge. Interpersonally, he is a gem - a kind, non-judgmental, funny, and encouraging person who makes working out both enjoyable and effective. He is disciplined and has a systematic approach to training, and is flexible, always willing to pivot on a moment’s notice to focus on areas that rose to importance in that session. Each day, he would meet me where I am in terms of my energy. He is a talented professional and wonderful person.

Carol p.

I can't recommend Eirinn enough! She was my trainer about two years in the Boston area, and it was a joy to work out with her. I have chronic back issues, and I really appreciated the fact that she connected with my physical therapist to develop a program to ensure that I could work toward being my strongest me! She has a depth of knowledge of training as well as the importance of what we put into our bodies. Through her encouragement, I always add extra veggies to my menu now! She continuously motivated me in a positive way. The people of Raleigh are lucky to have her!